FinFET structures and methods of forming the same

Abstract

An embodiment is a method including forming an epitaxial portion over a substrate, the epitaxial portion including a III-V material. A damaged material layer being on at least one surface of the epitaxial portion. The method further including oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the damaged material layer to form an oxide layer, selectively removing the oxide layer, and repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the damaged material layer remains on the epitaxial portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 forming an epitaxial portion over a substrate, the epitaxial portion comprising a III-V material, a damaged material layer being on at least one surface of the epitaxial portion; 
 oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the damaged material layer to form an oxide layer; 
 selectively removing the oxide layer; and 
 repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the damaged material layer remains on the epitaxial portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial portion is a source/drain region of a field-effect transistor. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial portion is an upper portion of a fin extending from the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 forming a gate dielectric on a top surface and sidewalls of the epitaxial portion; 
 forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and 
 forming source/drain regions on the fin on opposite sides of the gate electrode, the fin, the epitaxial portion, the gate dielectric, the gate electrode, and the source/drain regions forming a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET). 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial portion is a nanowire suspended over the substrate. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 forming a gate dielectric on and surrounding the epitaxial portion; 
 forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric, the gate electrode surrounding the epitaxial portion; and 
 forming source/drain regions on opposite ends of the epitaxial portion, the epitaxial portion, the gate dielectric, the gate electrode, and the source/drain regions forming a gate all-around (GAA) fin field-effect transistor. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the III-V material of the epitaxial portion comprises InAs, AlAs, GaAs, GaAsP, InP, GaInP, AlInP, GaN, InGaAs, InAlAs, InGaAlAs, GaSb, AlSb, AlP, GaP, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       8. A method comprising:
 epitaxially growing a first crystalline semiconductor material on a substrate, the first crystalline semiconductor material and a portion of the substrate forming a fin on the substrate, wherein after the epitaxially growing the first crystalline semiconductor material, a damaged material layer is on at least a top surface and sidewalls of the first crystalline semiconductor material; 
 oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the damaged material layer to form an oxide layer; 
 selectively removing the oxide layer; 
 repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the damaged material layer remains on the first crystalline semiconductor material; 
 forming a gate dielectric on at least a top surface and sidewalls of the first crystalline semiconductor material; 
 forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and 
 forming source/drain regions on the fin on opposite sides of the gate electrode. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first crystalline semiconductor material comprises InAs, AlAs, GaAs, GaAsP, InP, GaInP, AlInP, GaN, InGaAs, InAlAs, InGaAlAs, GaSb, AlSb, AlP, GaP, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein the forming source/drain regions on the fin on opposite sides of the gate electrode further comprises:
 removing opposite end portions of the fin to form source/drain recesses; and 
 epitaxially growing the source/drain regions in the source/drain recesses. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the epitaxial source/drain regions to form an oxide layer; and 
 selectively removing the oxide layer from the source/drain regions. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 before the oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the damaged material layer, selectively etching the portion of the substrate under the first crystalline semiconductor material to suspend the first crystalline semiconductor material over the substrate, the damaged material layer surrounding the first crystalline semiconductor material. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the gate dielectric is on the top surface, bottom surface, and sidewalls of the first crystalline semiconductor material, the gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 epitaxially growing a second material on the first crystalline semiconductor material; 
 epitaxially growing a third crystalline semiconductor material on the second material, the first crystalline semiconductor material, the second material, the third crystalline semiconductor material, and the portion of the substrate forming the fin; and 
 before the oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the damaged material layer, selectively etching the second material to suspend the third crystalline semiconductor material over the first crystalline semiconductor material, a second damaged material layer surrounding the third crystalline semiconductor material. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 oxidizing at least outer surfaces of the second damaged material layer to form a second oxide layer; 
 selectively removing the second oxide layer; and 
 repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the second damaged material layer remains on the third crystalline semiconductor material, wherein the gate dielectric is on the top surface, bottom surface, and sidewalls of the first crystalline semiconductor material and the third crystalline semiconductor material, the gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric. 
 
     
     
       16. A method comprising:
 forming a fin extending from a substrate, the fin comprising a first epitaxial portion, the first epitaxial portion comprising a III-V material, a damaged material layer surrounding the first epitaxial portion; 
 forming an isolation region over the substrate and surrounding the fin; 
 selectively etching a portion of the fin to suspend the first epitaxial portion over the substrate and at a level over a top surface of the isolation region; 
 oxidizing the damaged material layer to form an oxide layer; 
 selectively removing the oxide layer; 
 repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the damaged material layer remains on the first epitaxial portion; 
 forming a gate dielectric surrounding the first epitaxial portion; 
 forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric; and 
 forming source/drain regions on opposite ends of the first epitaxial portion. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the III-V material of the first epitaxial portion comprises InAs, AlAs, GaAs, GaAsP, InP, GaInP, AlInP, GaN, InGaAs, InAlAs, InGaAlAs, GaSb, AlSb, AlP, GaP, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the forming the fin extending from the substrate further comprises:
 epitaxially growing a second material on the first epitaxial portion; and 
 epitaxially growing a third epitaxial portion on the second material, the third epitaxial portion comprising a III-V material, a second damaged material layer surrounding the third epitaxial portion. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 selectively etching the second material to suspend the third epitaxial portion over the first epitaxial portion; 
 oxidizing the second damaged material layer to form a second oxide layer; 
 selectively removing the second oxide layer; and 
 repeating the oxidizing and the selectively removing steps while at least a portion of the second damaged material layer remains on the third epitaxial portion, wherein the gate dielectric surrounds the first epitaxial portion and the third epitaxial portion, the gate electrode surrounding the gate dielectric. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the forming the fin extending from the substrate, the fin comprising a first epitaxial portion further comprises:
 patterning the substrate to form a semiconductor strip extending from the substrate; 
 forming the isolation region over the substrate and surrounding the semiconductor strip; 
 recessing the semiconductor strip between the isolation region; 
 epitaxially growing the first epitaxial portion on the recessed semiconductor strip; and 
 recessing the isolation region to expose a sidewall of the recessed semiconductor strip below the first epitaxial portion, wherein the selectively etching the portion of the fin further comprises selectively etching an exposed portion of the recessed semiconductor strip.